Trump hosts UK’s Keir Starmer for Ukraine talks amid disagreement over security guarantees
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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump is hosting United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday.
The two leaders will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office shortly after noon ET before a press conference in the East Room slated for 2 p.m. ET.
Senior administration officials told reporters that much of the conversations between Trump and Starmer will focus on a peaceful resolution for the Russia-Ukraine war.
The meeting comes after Europe was left out of talks between the U.S. and Russia on how to end Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, which recently stretched into its fourth year.
Trump has since said Europe will have to bear primary responsibility for any security guarantees for Ukraine, as nations such as France and the United Kingdom urge the U.S. to support peacekeeping efforts post-conflict.
“Well, I’m not going to make security guarantees beyond very much,” Trump said at his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. “We’re going to have Europe do that because it’s in, you know, we’re talking about Europe is the next-door neighbor, but we’re going to make sure everything goes well.”
Trump also implied the mineral resource deal between the U.S. and Ukraine would be “automatic security,” because the U.S. will be investing in the nation and that would serve as a barrier to Russia.
Starmer has said he will ensure the United Kingdom is a “leading country” in European nations stepping up to support Ukraine, but said there needs to be a U.S. “backstop” to deter Putin.
“I don’t believe it will be a guarantee if there isn’t the U.S. backstop behind those security guarantees,” Starmer said after European leaders held an emergency meeting in Paris on Ukraine last week as Trump officials gathered with Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia.
Administration officials said the U.S. has been in constant contact with European partners and providing updates on negotiations regarding an agreement to end the war.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., on Friday.
Ukraine is working to win a U.S. security agreement as part of the proposed minerals deal, Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to travel to Washington, D.C., on Friday.
Ukraine is working to win a U.S. security agreement as part of the proposed minerals deal, Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.
“I would say that there’s a balance between the size of the force needed and the strength of the diplomacy that backstops that, that secures it,” an official said.
“If that conflict level, as we want, is dialed down to a functional ceasefire, they would have fewer concerns … So the type of force depends very much on the political self settlement that is made to end the war,” the official continued. “And I think that trade off is what the leaders today, part of what the leaders today are going to be discussing.”
(WASHINGTON) — As President Donald Trump works at a breakneck speed to implement his second-term agenda , including wholesale firings and sweeping policy changes, he and his advisers assert his power over the executive branch is complete and can’t be questioned.
Still, his flurry of executive actions and orders spark a critical question: Does he have the power he claims to have?
Multiple court challenges are underway trying to stop his attempts to end birthright citizenship and temporarily freeze federal loans and grants.
More legal pushback will unfold amid Trump’s unprecedented purge of the executive workforce and reshaping of what Congress set up as independent agencies, the dismantling of which is largely being carried out by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump quickly fired 17 independent watchdogs and the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Longtime Democratic Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub said Trump sent a letter removing her from the commission. His administration has directed all federal DEI staff be put on leave. The Justice Department fired more than a dozen of prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 cases. Millions of employees were offered buyouts, with tens of thousands of people accepting them.
His administration has touted the moves as long-overdue cutting of waste in favor of a merit-based system. His critics slam them as a radical restructuring of the federal government aimed at consolidating presidential power — and placing loyalty to Trump over regulatory agency expertise designed to be insulated from political influence.
The ‘unitary executive theory’
Driving Trump’s strategy is a legal framework championed by conservatives, perhaps most notably by Trump’s newly-confirmed director of White House Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, an architect of Project 2025. (Democrats held an all-night protest of Vought’s nomination on the Senate floor Wednesday into Thursday, though his nomination was later approved by Republicans.)
The so-called “unitary executive theory” has various iterations but centers on the idea that the Constitution gives the president sole control over the executive branch of government.
Its advocates point to Article II, which reads in part: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.”
“I think that means he has the power to control subordinates throughout the executive branch, including in the independent agencies and how they exercise power. And as a corollary to that, he has the power to remove or fire subordinates in the executive branch,” said Steven Calabresi, a Northwestern University law professor and former Reagan administration official who co-authored a book on the unitary executive theory.
Trump in 2019 said: “I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president.”
Setting up Supreme Court test cases?
Some of Trump’s firings, especially those that seem to fly in the face of statutory protections for civil service workers from being removed without cause, are likely to result in lawsuits that put that theory in front of the courts.
“I think they are setting up test cases, and this Supreme Court is very likely to expand the theory and overrule other cases that are in tension with it,” said David Driesen, a law professor at Syracuse University.
In 2020, the Supreme Court found a provision from Congress limiting the president’s authority to remove the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau violated the Constitution — a departure from precedent. The Trump White House has pointed to that ruling as justification for some of its firings.
Trump pushing limits on executive authority
But some say Trump is leaning on the theory to go even further, blatantly trying to take over powers the Constitution gives to other branches of government, namely Congress, violating the separation of powers and the concept of checks and balances.
“This is where the debate is: at what point does the kind of power that Trump wants and the way he exercises his power cross over from a constitutional vision about presidential power to an a-constitutional vision,” said Bob Bauer, a law professor at New York University and former White House counsel under President Barack Obama.
“The unitary executive theory has a history that isn’t nearly, in my judgment, what is claimed for it and now put into effect by Trump and his allies,” Bauer added.
Trump has sought to sidestep Congress and take control of federal spending, trying to freeze money already appropriated by lawmakers. His OMB pick, Vought, told senators during his confirmation hearing that the Trump administration would seek to impound funds it believes are being misspent.
Even bolder, Trump’s pledging to dismantle entire agencies. Turmoil is roiling USAID as its being taken over by the State Department and its staff reduced from 14,000 people to fewer than 300 staff, sources said. Trump is expected to move soon on his proposal to cripple the Department of Education just short of eliminating it.
Many of this will play out in the courts in the months ahead. But experts said, in the meantime, harm will be immediate and possibly felt for years to come.
“He’s going to do an enormous amount of damage that the courts can’t in all cases readily remediate,” Bauer said. “By the time he’s finished emptying out some of these agencies and in some cases closing them, putting all that back together again is going to be very challenging.”
“It will take years to rebuild some of these institutions. So, Trump and his team will accomplish much of what they want before the courts can fully and effectively respond. He will have created new facts on the ground.”
(WASHINGTON) — Democratic lawmakers continue to protest tech billionaire Elon Musk’s sweeping influence over government decisions and material, with protests, proposed legislation and other attempts to obstruct President Donald Trump’s agenda and the efforts of his close ally to cut what the Trump administration considers wasteful spending.
Dozens of lawmakers appeared Tuesday at a “Nobody Elected Elon” rally outside the Treasury Department, each delivering fiery attacks directed toward Trump and Musk. They described Musk’s action as a “heist,” a “takeover” and an “abuse of power.”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley went as far as calling Musk a “Nazi nepo baby.”
Democrats have pushed back against Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts, mounting growing protests, introducing legislation and threatening to try to derail his agenda by holding up confirmation of his appointees.
Rep. Maxine Waters said, “We have got to tell Elon Musk, ‘Nobody elected your ass. Nobody told you you could get all of our private information. Nobody told you you could be in charge of the payments of this country.’”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren added, “Not one Democrat in America voted for Elon Musk, not one not one Republican in America voted for Elon Musk, not one independent in America voted for Elon Musk, not one libertarian in America voted for Elon Musk, dammit, not one vegetarian in America voted for Elon Musk, and yet, Elon Musk is seizing the power that belongs to the American people.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal cautioned his Republican colleagues that Musk’s actions could have harmful consequences for their constituents as well.
Sen. Chris Murphy struck a similar tone as his Democratic colleagues, threatening to stall Trump’s nominees from being confirmed should Musk continue his overreach.
“You will remember this is the moment that made a difference for America, because the message here is, we have to reach beyond this crowd, reach beyond this city. Reach beyond Democrats, to Republicans and say you’re losing your country too,” Murphy said.
Pressley reached out to Republicans, too.
“I want to say to our Republican colleagues, pay attention. We’re here today in the hopes that you will see the light. But if you do not see the light, we will bring the fire. Resist,” she said Rep. Pressley.
During multiple times, there were chants of “Lock him up!” from the crowd, which appeared to be directed at Trump and Musk.
Murphy also made a dig at the young staffers reportedly working for DOGE.
“When we open up the Senate every single morning, we don’t pledge allegiance to the billionaires. We don’t. We don’t pledge allegiance to Elon Musk. We don’t pledge allegiance to the creepy 22 year olds working for Elon Musk. We pledge allegiance to the United States of America,” he said to cheers.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said they’re pushing joint legislation that would block ‘unlawful meddling’ in the Treasury Department’s payment systems — responding to news on Monday that Treasury gave Musk and representatives of DOGE access to its vast federal payment system.
At a news conference at the Capitol, the Democratic leaders unveiled the bill as the “Stop the Steal” Act, a play off of Trump’s rallying cry as he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The legislation would deny special government employees and anyone with conflicts of interest or a lack of appropriate clearance any access to the Treasury payment system. It also would include personal tax information into existing privacy protections, according to Schumer.
The White House said Monday that Musk received status as a special government employee, meaning he’s a short-term federal worker who works under looser ethics rules.
Jeffries said the legislation will be introduced “in short order” to prevent “unlawful access with respect to the Department of Treasury’s payment system connected to people who are trying to steal personal, sensitive and confidential information related to Social Security recipients, Medicare recipients, taxpayers, businesses, not-for-profits, veterans and everyday Americans.”
“It is unacceptable, unconscionable and unAmerican,” he said.
Given the Republican majority in both chambers of Congress, it is unlikely the legislation will advance. However, Schumer and Jeffries outlined other avenues Democrats could take. Schumer threatened to block funding legislation until there are changes and added that Democrats would also hold shadow hearings with whistleblowers.
Though the leaders repeatedly mentioned DOGE, they stayed away from directly saying Elon Musk’s name until asked by reporters.
Jeffries avoided saying the legislation was solely focused on Musk but rather centered around the “whole process” of the recent Treasury moves, when asked how concerned he was specifically about the Tesla founder.
“We’re concerned that Musk is in charge of DOGE, but we’re concerned about the how the whole process works, and ultimately the buck falls with Donald Trump, the president,” Jeffries said. “But we are concerned that a small number of people are concerned with the whole process, including Musk and including the others,” Jeffries said.
The Democrats repeatedly downplayed DOGE’s power.
“It has no authority to make spending decisions, to shut down programs or ignore federal law. This is not debatable. This is an indisputable fact: No authority for spending decisions to shut down programs or ignore federal law,” Schumer warned.
Schumer said that “all 47 Democrats” in the Senate would oppose the confirmation of Office of Management and Budget nominee Russell Vought in light of the federal funding freezes announced last week.
“We are united in our agreement that Russell Vought is a dangerous and destructive choice to lead the Office of Management and Budget, and we saw a precursor to his leadership last week during the dangerous federal funding fees that crippled nearly crippled critical duties of the federal government and its operations,” Schumer said.
“Senate Democrats will unanimously oppose him and do everything we can to prevent him from needing OMB,” he added.
(WASHINGTON) — At noon today, Donald Trump takes the presidential oath for a second time, capping a historic political comeback to the White House.
The ceremony has been moved inside to the U.S. Capitol Rotunda because of frigid weather for only the first time since Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration 40 years ago.
Trump has told ABC’s Rachel Scott the themes of his inaugural address with be “unity, strength and fairness.” He will call for a “revolution of common sense,” according to excerpts of his speech.
Mike Pence to attend inauguration
Former Vice President Mike Pence announced his plans to attend the inauguration.
“Today, I will attend the Inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance at the U. S. Capitol,” Pence wrote on X. “This is a day when every American does well to celebrate our democracy and the peaceful transfer of power under the Constitution of the United States.”
Pence was seen arriving at the U.S. Capitol at around 9:30 a.m.
Trump and Vance have had a contentious relationship and did not interact publicly for four years after Pence broke with Trump by refusing to reject the 2020 election results.
Biden tells Trump: ‘Welcome home’
As Trump exited his limousine, Biden said to him: “Welcome home.”
Trump walked up the steps with Melania Trump and they shook hands with the Bidens.
Trump is now at the White House
Trump has arrived at the White House, where he will have tea with President Biden.
The two men will later ride together to the U.S. Capitol for Trump’s swearing in.
Trump’s return caps what has been a remarkable political comeback unlike anything in American history.
This isn’t Trump’s first time back at the White House. Biden invited him for an Oval Office meeting days after his victory in November.
Hundreds available to attend inauguration from inside the Capitol Rotunda
Guests will attend the inauguration from the Capitol Rotunda and overflow areas, with 800 able to attend from inside the Rotunda.
About 1,300 can attend in the Emancipation Hall, and 500 can watch from the theater in the Capitol Visitor Center.
— ABC News’ Justin Gomez and Allison Pecorin
Trump will rename Gulf of Mexico the ‘Gulf of America’ among 1st actions
Among the first executive orders set to be signed by President-elect Donald Trump will be an order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
During his January press conference at Mar-A-Lago, Trump declared he would change the name, saying it’s currently run by cartels and that “it’s ours.”
“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America,” Trump said. “What a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate. It’s appropriate. And Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country.”
Presidents have the authority to rename geographic regions and features via executive order.
-ABC News’ John Santucci and Kelsey Walsh
Biden takes selfie with first lady at White House
President Joe Biden snapped a selfie with first lady Jill Biden outside the White House, documenting their final morning in office.
The Bidens will soon host the Trumps for tea and coffee at the White House.
Bidens greet Harris at the White House Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff have arrived at the White House.
They exchanged handshakes with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
The Trumps will soon join Biden at the White House for tea. They have just exited St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Supporters line up outside Capital One Arena before dawn, despite sub-freezing temps
Temperatures in the high teens and low 20s did little to stop Trump supporters from lining up early to attend inauguration events at Capital One Arena.
Those at the front of the line arrived at 3 a.m., despite the fact that Trump was eight hours away from taking the oath, and doors were four hours away from opening.
Thousands were lined up by the time doors opened at 7 a.m.
ABC News spoke with supporters from all over the nation including southern California, Florida, and New York. Many arrived with family members that spanned generations.
ABC News’ Meghan Mistry
Trumps arrive for church service
Donald Trump and Melania Trump have arrived for a church service at St. John’s in Washington, a tradition for presidential inaugurations.
Trump said he’s feeling “great.”
After church, President Biden and first lady Jill Biden will welcome the Trumps to the White House — an invitation that Trump did not offer the Bidens four years ago when he skipped the inaugural events entirely.
First to ABC: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Tom Homan and Kellyanne Conway to speak at Capital One Arena, per sources
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, “border czar” Tom Homan and Kellyanne Conway will speak at Capital One Arena, per sources familiar with the planning.
Elon Musk will join the speakers list as well.
The president will also swing by the Capital One Arena for the 60th Presidential Inaugural Ceremony Viewing & Parade.
The evening will include the Oval Office Signing Ceremony, followed by the Commander and Chief Ball, Liberty Ball, and Starlight Ball.
— ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh
Members of Trump’s family arrive at St. John’s
Trump is about to leave Blair House for the first event of the day: a service at St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Members of his family, including his children Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump, were seen arriving for the service.
Senior Trump adviser dismisses significance of Biden pardons
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, dismissed the significance of President Joe Biden’s preemptive pardons for prominent political figures in an interview with “Good Morning America” on Monday.
“Today is about President Trump and starting to undo some of the disasters from the past four years,” Miller said shortly after the news of Biden’s inauguration day pardons broke.
“I really don’t care about Joe Biden anymore,” Miller added. “This is about the plan of action President Trump is going to start implementing, starting today.”
A preview of Trump’s inaugural address
Excerpts of Trump’s inaugural address, obtained by ABC News, show Trump will call for a “revolution of common sense.”
“I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success. A tide of change is sweeping the country,” he will say.
Trump will also hint at the sweeping executive action he will take, with as many as 200 orders prepared for Day 1.
“Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders,” he’ll say. “With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.”
“My message to Americans today is that it is time for us to once again act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of history’s greatest civilization.”
What Trump has said he’ll do on Day 1
Mass deportations, Jan. 6 pardons and tariffs on trade partners. That’s just some of what Trump repeatedly vowed to do immediately after he is sworn into office.
Sources told ABC News Trump is likely to sign executive orders at the U.S. Capitol after his swearing-in and then additional ones later at Capital One Arena.
Separately, top Trump officials told ABC News he is preparing to take more than 200 executive actions on his first day in office.
While plans are still being finalized, sources said they could include declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, rescinding any DEI directives from the Biden administration and offsetting limits for offshore drilling on federal land.
Biden’s attendance restores hallmark of American democracy
After a bitter 2024 campaign, Biden will put politics aside and stand near his successor as he takes the presidential oath spelled out in the Constitution.
The gesture is a tradition of American democracy, but especially notable given that Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration four years ago after refusing to concede.
Still, Biden made sure to issue a final warning to Americans before he left office to be vigilant against potential abuses of power ahead.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” he said in his farewell address. “We see the consequences all across America.”
How to watch Trump’s inauguration
ABC News will have comprehensive coverage of the inauguration throughout the day.
Trump is expected to begin his day with a service at St. John’s Episcopal Church and a private tea at the White House before his swearing-in ceremony at noon in the Capitol Rotunda.
The network’s coverage will begin with a special edition of “Good Morning America” at 7 a.m. EST, followed by a day-long special report beginning at 9 a.m. EST and led by “World News Tonight” anchor and managing editor David Muir from Washington.
Inauguration coincides with MLK Day
Trump’s second swearing in is occurring on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The last time that happened was former President Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013. Obama, the nation’s first Black president, took the oath of office that year using two Bibles, one that belonged to King and one that belonged to Abraham Lincoln.
The overlap isn’t expected to happen again until 2053.
Fauci, Milley react to preemptive pardons from Biden
Following Biden’s announcement of preemptive pardons to potential targets of the incoming Trump administration, the recipients express their gratitude to the outgoing president.
“I really truly appreciate the action President Biden has taken today on my behalf,” Dr. Anthony Fauci told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl. “Let me be perfectly clear, Jon, I have committed no crime, you know that, and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me.”
Retired Gen. Mark Milley also expressed that he was “deeply grateful for the President’s action.”
“After forty-three years of faithful service in uniform to our Nation, protecting and defending the Constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights. I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety.”
“I wish this pardon weren’t necessary, but unfortunately, the political climate we are in now has made the need for one somewhat of a reality,” said Harry Dunn, former Capitol Police officer. “I, like all of the other public servants, was just doing my job and upholding my oath, and I will always honor that.”
